A councillor accused of "abandoning his constituents" finally turned up to attend a meeting - and then left after five minutes.

Blackburn with Darwen Council Queen's Park Liberal Democrat member Yusuf Sidat had not been to a meeting since December, and has been criticised by Labour members for spending three months in India.

He arrived at Blackburn town hall and registered his name for Thursday night's full council meeting, but disappeared as it began.

The council meeting, which started at 6pm, eventually finished all its business at 11.20pm.

Under the council's constitution, councillors are suspended if they fail to turn up to a meeting for six months.